Planning a trip to Italy and figuring out the best way to navigate between its stunning cities? This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about How To Travel In Italy Between Cities, offering insights into trains, cars, flights, buses, and ferries to help you create the perfect Italian adventure.
Getting Around Italy by Train
For travel between major cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice, the train is often the ideal choice. Italy boasts an extensive network of high-speed intercity trains and regional services connecting smaller towns.
Traveling by train in Italy is fast, efficient, comfortable, and convenient. High-speed trains can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h (185 mph), surpassing the speed and convenience of driving. Relax in your seat with access to power outlets and Wi-Fi. Most trains have a snack bar and ample space for luggage in overhead racks or compartments.
Train stations are usually located in city centers, eliminating the hassle of navigating traffic, finding parking, and dealing with congestion. Booking in advance can be cost-effective, with fares as low as €15 for high-speed trains from Rome to Florence, a journey of just 1.5 hours compared to at least 3 hours by car.
Train Schedules and Tickets
Italy has two primary train companies:
- Trenitalia: The government-owned carrier operating high-speed intercity and regional train services.
- Italo: A private company offering high-speed train services between major cities.
For checking timetables and fares, platforms like Omio can be helpful. Omio offers a comparison of train departures, travel times, and prices for both operators. Once booked, tickets are conveniently stored in the app, eliminating the need for paper tickets.
Main High-Speed Train Routes in Italy
If your itinerary focuses on major cities and day trips to towns like Pisa, Verona, and Bologna, train travel is your best bet. Here are the main train lines in Italy:
- Venice – Padua – Bologna – Florence – Rome – Naples – Salerno
- Turin – Milan – Bologna – Florence – Rome – Naples – Salerno
- Milan – Brescia – Verona – Vicenza – Padua – Venice
Popular destinations like Cinque Terre, Lake Como, Lake Garda, and Sorrento are also accessible by train.
Alt text: High speed train tracks winding through the rolling hills of the Italian countryside.
Bi-Annual Schedule Updates
Keep in mind that train timetables are updated in June and December. While changes are usually minimal, if you need to plan far in advance and times aren’t available, check the same day of the week in an earlier month for an estimate.
Travel by Car in Italy
Driving in Italy offers a unique experience, taking you to hidden gems inaccessible by train or bus. Many off-the-beaten-path towns and villages can only be reached by car. Prime driving destinations include Tuscany, Sicily, Puglia, the Dolomites, the Riviera coast, Umbria, and Le Marche, showcasing picturesque villages, rolling hills, and coastal vistas.
Renting a car is ideal for exploring the countryside and lesser-known regions not well-connected by high-speed trains.
However, consider these factors before opting for a car:
- Automatic transmission cars are less common.
- Italian cities are congested with limited, expensive parking.
- Historic zones often have restricted entry (ZTL).
- Tolls apply on most highways (autostrade).
- Gas is expensive.
- Italian drivers are known for their assertive driving styles!
Despite these challenges, exploring Italy by car can be a thrilling adventure.
Car Rental in Italy
To find the best deals on car rentals in Italy, resources like Auto Europe and Car Rental by Booking.com are good starting points. These sites feature major international and local brands.
For longer driving trips in Italy and Europe, consider Auto Europe’s long-term car rentals and short-term lease options for trips of one month or more.
Alt text: Red Fiat 500 driving on a narrow cobbled street in a small Tuscan village.
Private Drivers and Airport Transfers
If driving isn’t your preference, a private driver or transfer might be the answer. Some destinations are more easily reached by car, and Italian drivers have a reputation.
The Naples to Sorrento or Amalfi Coast route is a popular choice for private transfers. Companies like Suntransfers offer convenient online booking from the station or airport, with competitive prices and 24/7 customer service. Larger vehicles and child car seats are available for groups.
Suntransfers is also useful for airport transfers in major cities. In Rome, Welcome Pickups provides a friendly airport transfer service with meet-and-greet options. In Venice, consider arriving in style with a water taxi.
Flying Within Italy
Flights within Italy exist, but often aren’t the most convenient or cost-effective option, except for a few key routes. While cheap flight deals can be found using Skyscanner, many are with low-cost airlines charging extra for checked luggage and seat selection.
Airports are typically located on the outskirts of cities, requiring additional travel time and expense. Factor in security wait times and potential air traffic delays as well.
However, certain routes make sense:
- Mainland to Sicily: Short, inexpensive flights beat long, uncomfortable ferry or train journeys.
- Mainland to Sardinia: Flights are short, while ferries take over 8 hours.
- Venice to Southern Italy (Naples, Bari, or Brindisi for Puglia).
- Milan (Linate airport) to Puglia (Bari or Brindisi).
- Rome to Reggio Calabria.
Buses in Italy
Buses offer a budget-friendly alternative to trains. While there’s no national bus service, you can scout around to find the best routes and prices.
Flixbus operates a vast network of bus routes across Italy, connecting major and smaller cities. With comfortable seating, power outlets, and Wi-Fi, buses are a great option if you’re not on a tight schedule and want to save money.
Some cities in southern Italy, particularly Puglia, are not well-served by trains, making Flixbus a useful alternative to long drives.
In regions like Tuscany and Puglia, local bus networks connect smaller towns. These networks are run by various companies, many of which don’t publish timetables online. Check schedules at bus stops. Bus travel is recommended only if you have ample time.
Ferries in Italy
The Italian peninsula relies on ferry services between the mainland and Sicily and Sardinia, as well as islands in the Bay of Naples and throughout the lakes region.
To reach Sicily, take a short car ferry from Reggio Calabria to Messina or overnight ferries from Naples, Civitavecchia (port of Rome), and Genoa to Palermo.
Sardinia’s ports (Olbia, Golfo Aranci, and Porto Torres) offer services to Livorno and Genoa. These journeys take 8 hours or more and are best if you’re bringing a car to the island.
Because of the difficulty navigating different ferry company websites, Direct Ferries is a great option to easily see travel routes, times, and prices for Italian ferries.
Best Italy Transportation Options for Your Trip
When planning trips to Italy, Google Maps and Rome2Rio are invaluable tools. These applications provide options for traveling by train, car, bus, and plane.
Alt text: Google maps showing the route and travel options between Rome and Florence.
Google Maps lets you view train schedules via the schedule explorer and adjust departure and arrival times. In the example above, the 280-kilometer journey between Rome and Florence takes 1 hour and 44 minutes by train and 3 hours by car.
These tools provide a general overview of travel times, prices, and schedules for public transportation in Italy, along with driving and flying alternatives.
Andiamo! Let’s Go to Italy
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of the best ways to travel in Italy between cities and explore the countryside. With some planning, navigating this amazing country is simple.
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Katy Clarke( Author | Untold Italy Founder )
Katy is the founder of Untold Italy and host of our eponymous podcast. Passionate about helping travelers planning their dream trips to Italy full of unforgettable experiences and memories, she has produced this site since 2018 – more info.
